July 8,2008

Chinchorro Bank, wow what a night we had, we were handed a total of five large squalls or thunder storms as you choose to call them. Buckets of rain winds at times over forty knots but with deep reefs in the main sail and the staysail we were moving good and in control of the boat at all times. You got to love an Island Packet.

We arrived at the north end of Chinchorro Banks around mid afternoon got the hook set and did a bit of serious relaxing. The next morning we had a visit from the Mexican Navy all was cool and made ready to get underway again. Next stop Cozumel

What a blast, one hundred miles in fifteen hours. Great wind and a north setting current what more could a sailor want. Made Cozumel at night found an anchorage and had a good nights rest.

Next morning we sailed up to Isla Mujeres an am in the process of chilling out before the gulf crossing but may never leave. It is tough leaving such beautiful cruising grounds and going to someplace ugly by comparison but such is life and ate cards you are dealt.

Time to stop whining and get this posted. Will update after crossing the golf.

What happens on Isla stays on Isla.(HA-HA!)

May 7^th. 2008 at 2130 left Matamoros by bus to Veracruz with son in law Scott. We arrived in Veracruz about 1330 the following afternoon.

After checking into a loooow cost motel we then took a city bus trip to the central which

is the old part of this city by the sea. After a late lunch and a pair of coldies each we walked to the malacon. The hotel we stayed in when we sailed the Regata de Los Amigos is being torn down .Check pictures later.

Tomorrow we board a bus at 1645 and head to Chetumal

May 10^th, 2008

Made it to Chetumal in good shape,walked one block to the Santa Maria hotel, had lunch and a nap. Life is good.

After a short rest Scott and I took a hike to the bay front then to a steak house called Bacus. This is an Arab restaurant they have Angus beef and I hate to say it but it is quite good. When in Chetumal it is a spot not to be missed.

We were up at 5AM to catch the 6AM bus to Flores Guatemala , arrived around 3that same afternoon and no AC on the bus but then it never has had AC so nothing to bitch about as that is normal. If you want things like they are at home then you should HAUL YOU’RE SPOILED ASS BACK HOME AND BE PAMPERED. After a pair of cold Gallo beers and a walk around town all was good.

We will have dinner later and get set for the last three to four hour tomorrow run and will be on the boat. ISLAND TIME is waiting.

May 22, 2008

What a day, hot like you would not believe. We dropped the main sail and re tuned the mast as I saw a slight s when I looked up the sail track. It looked like hell but now I am happy and I`ll bet she sails better.

Our neighbor came back to their slip today. Hank and ..... I`ll get her name later, any way they are on Avenvura, an Island Packet 44 in a word WOW there is a whole lot to like on this one. Talk about room. On the up side for me I don`t pay as much for a slip but she would sure make the gulf of Mexico a bit easier to take. If you hear sour grapes here you would sound the same way if you saw her. That said I am sure glad I don`t have to make Hanks payments, RIGHT hell I bet he paid cash for it. He had an IP 370 and sold it. I will now shut up about his boat. Island Time we still love you.

June 8, 2008

The adventure continues, we have set the hook at Garbutt Cay, BZ. Scott and I left the Tortugal marina May 25 and spent the night in a cool spot called Texan Bay.

Baby things do change, I was introduced to a new medication for high blood pressure, cataracts and glaucoma none of which I have but I discovered it is good for pain as I had the best nights sleep that I have had in several years, and guess what. It is grown locally.

After we cleared out of Livingston Guatemala we had a four hour sail to Orange Point in Belize, spent the night and checked in to another bit of paradise and left for Harvest Cay just south of Placencia in order to have the hook down by four pm as one must prep for sun downers.

The plan was to chill for a day or two then go up to Belize City and pick up Jaime as she was flying in on the June 2.

As we all know the best laid plans often get shot to hell. The weather went sour and we were forced wait it out, a call to Jaime and all was put well as she rather likes Placencia so she would hop a commuter flight and meet us on the dock.

As luck would have it I was enlisted by the marina owner to help solve an anchor light problem on his Manta 42. That damn stick went up in the air eighty feet as in 80 ft. it took several trips up the mast as well as a few days so he let us tie up to a dock and that was great (small bar with cold beer mere steps from Island Time)

We had a hard time getting out of Placencia as one can sure slip into a rut and time slips away. Truth be known I thought we had been dockside three days only to discover it was day seven and time to move on or sprout roots. Could it be the new medicine

Well it was on to Laughing Bird Cay for some great snorkeling and saw a huge lobster and several big conch as well as more fish and marine life than I can identify.

We then moved on to North Long Cay for a rock and rolly night that was cured by an all day sail to Garbutt Cay where I am closing this out as it is starting to feel like a homework assignment.

June 11, 2008

After two days at Garbutt Cay and lobster we set sail this AM for the Cucumber Beach Marina about five miles below Belize City and what a sail. This I P with winds ranging from twelve to twenty knots, a reefed main, full staysail, and reefed head sail was hitting 6.5 and at times 7 knots. What a blast.

We will now be looking for some one who can polish fuel, it seems like the generator will run about sixteen hours and want a filter change. Bad fuel in Guat. is haunting us. I will know more about it tomorrow and have an update.

Finally getting around to updating the blog. Here's what happened in the past:

Feb. 05.2006

Hello folks, after a turkey day and Christmas we are back on the Rio Dulce. Ok we have been back since mid January but you from past blog updates how much I like homework., be that as it may I have been busy. The SSB (single sideband radio, will reach out loooong distance) is installed not 100% sure it works as it should but will know this coming Tuesday as that is when we are leaving for the Bay Islands of Honduras. The boat is loaded and fueled up, tomorrow AM I will catch a ride to fill the propane tank while Janice finishes up on house keeping then we should be set. I hope. We could have the propane filled by one of the stores we shop at but would not get it back until Wednesday or Thursday so I the 40 mile round trip and get it done in half a day.

When we get to Utila in the Bay Islands, the plan is to meet up with the Roger clan on SV Moranga from the UK. After a few days or two to three weeks there we will drift up to several cays in Belize finally winding up on Isla Mujeres , Mexico.

As I am sure you can tell we run loose on time schedules, I LOVE IT. Those of you who thought we would be back next May or June had best forget it.I will bring the boat back to the Rio and cruise the Bay Islands and wait out the hurricane season and then see which way the wind blows.

That is it for now, tomorrow PM I will try to get this posted to the blog site. The next update will be in the future. HA! HA!

FEB.07,2006

Tuesday around noon 30,we left Tortugal Marina after a great several months. It is a good

place to base out of as well as a good hide out from hurricanes. Our first leg was to Gringo bay on the Rio and were able to sail almost all the way. After a night of rain and a concert with music on a ricola (Swiss horn) which was so cool as the small bay is almost circled by jungle which made the sound reverberate, we spent another night before going to Livingston to check out of Guatemala.

Leaving Livingston about noon seemed to be a good idea so we did. Had a good sail to Cabo Tres Puntas, then began the lumps, the seas did not know which way they were supposed to come from so we changed corse about six pm and went to Port Cortez for the night. After a good nights rest we were on the way again, next stop Utila in the Bay Islands of Honduras and we made it. We eased in to an anchorage about nine that night and set the spade anchor; that has to be the best anchor made, it sets in weeds, mud and I will bet about any place else you want to use it. Now to chill in UTILA.

FEB. 11, 2006

Utila, what a neat place, every where you look another dive shop is doing a booming business. From the anchorage we are able to watch dive boats as the water gets deep right outside the reef. It is possible to walk off the beach and scuba or snorkel. The town is laid back, low key and clean. Janice likes it better than Fronteres. The food is great and price`s are good. Sandy from SV Namaste said he would almost consider taking there stove out We will get out and take a few pictures to poste but at this time we are riding out a norther with winds in the mid to upper 20`s. With that we will close down for now. More to follow on another day.

Hello again after a long pause. We are back on the Rio Dulce after serving time in the states. The fact is we have been on boaed as of OCT.2 We did a land trip to the central and western parts of Guatemala. Atitlan lake is a must see, it is one of the wonders of the world in my book. Santiago a small town on the lake, was great and we found a small motel/ resort that was super. Several celebs from the states have passed through as well as us. HA! I will now try to load a picture for your viewing pleasure so keep your fingers crossed.